Response: Oxford House Model to Don Cruz

Tuesday Evening ~ Sharing is caring!

Gracias Don Cruz ~ I will do what I can with what few resources I have available to me.

My idea is that there needs to be a good safe sanctuary for recovering people where they can stay for long-term housing, a place where they can continue to work on their recovery and spiritual growth, where they can really feel 'safe at home'.

I have been working with CASA for going on ten years, other than times when I fell down in my own two main relapses and slips. I had over two years when I left Mather Community Campus, then drifted back into my own alcoholism, but I have been off crank for over 10 years now.

My style is to be Honest, Open and Willing to change, that is HOW the program works! At least hundreds know my testimony in the Sacramento area and beyond.

Now I know that it is not enough just to get into sobriety, but we must also ~ the same as 'normal' people ~ work on our own character defects, shortcomings and inner demons.

You know 'casa' means 'home' or 'house' in Spanish and I believe it is high time that there actually be one for committed recovering people.

For years now I have been calling the CASA Group Christians Against Substance ADDICTION, not Abuse! Look at our CASA 12-Steps! Staff still can't get it straight!

My Ministry is simply to help others, I work with people raw off the streets, fresh out of prisons and flushed out of dysfunctional families. I get great rewards just seeing the occasinal success, despite all those who fall along the way.

I also help coordinate the A.A. Group on Fridays we now call Keep Coming Back! Plus, support the N.A. Group and all recovery programs based upon the 12-Steps Program.

I have learned a lot yet know I am still so ignorant of all that I do not know. I just woke up with this idea last week.

These days I only work part-time as a Health Careworker with In-Home Support Services so if you know of a position at least for the summer let me know (and I don't mean ringing bells!}.

I plan to return to school at City College in the Fall, I could not afford my school books for this summer semester.

Plus, I want to focus more on my poems and stuff.

Later, after I left the Admin Annex, I chuckled when I thought about you saying that you would help or something, except with money. The most you can give me is that which I hold sacred... your time!

Plus, your ideas, but ideas alone without taking the time to transform them into realities are useless.

Numbers 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

Check the below out! Plus, there is a video clip at the website!

http://www.oxfordhouse.org/

The Oxford House Model
All Oxford Houses have in common these characteristics:

• The House must be democratically self-run.
• The House membership is responsible for all household expenses.
• The House must immediately expel any member who uses alcohol or drugs. Which each house must fulfill in order to obtain and retain its Oxford House Charter.
  
  Oxford House is a concept in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug free home. Parallel to this concept lies the organizational structure of Oxford House, Inc. This publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation is the umbrella organization which provides the network connecting all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to duplicate the Oxford House concept where needs arise.

The number of residents in a House may range from six to fifteen; there are houses for men, houses for women, and houses which accept women with children. Oxford Houses flourish in metropolitan areas, such as New York City and Washington D.C. and thrive in such diverse communities, as Hawaii, Washington State, Canada and Australia; but they all abide by the basic criteria.

Each House represents a remarkably effective and low cost method of preventing relapse. This was the purpose of the first Oxford House established in 1975, and this purpose is served, day by day, house after house, in each of over 1,000 houses in the United States today.

The idea here is to provide a transitional to long-term safe housing situation for recovering people. A place where people can stay, grow and blossom!

Tu Amigo, Peter S. Lopez ~aka Peta

916/ 968-1023

http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

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Cruz.Guzman@usw.salvationarmy.org wrote:

Here it is my friend... God's best to you and your ministry.



Blessings,

Cruz Guzman
Shelter Services Director
The Salvation Army
Del Oro Division
916-446-1476 Office
916-752-9658 Cell

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